Delirium
by Revalations
Summary: Raine stubbornly waited for him to come back to her, because he would.  He promised.


Delirium

**A/N:** I love this couple to death.

~o+o~

She was still waiting. It was the hundredth, thousandth, millionth time she stepped outside of her bar and sat down, watching the empty road continue to be so. Winhill didn't get many visitors, but she wasn't waiting for a visitor—she was waiting for someone to return…for _him_ to come back.

Each day happened like the last, the only changes including her swelling belly and more nonsense from the rest of the town's inhabitants. They blamed _him_, said _he_ was wrong, but _they_ were the ones who were wrong. He was needed elsewhere, much more than in a tiny town of no significance. She missed him, she wanted to be near him, to tell him he was going to be a father, yes…but all of that could wait. He was busy with bigger things and husband or not, they were more important than her.

It pained her when a neighbor walked up to her and demanded to know why he wasn't back yet, why he left his wife in such a state without even coming to check up on her? At first, she'd responded with a vague truth; he's doing something very important, something that will take time—but he'll be back, so stop worrying.When they didn't take that, she tried a more direct route: he'd gone to save Ellone because she was taken and she was their daughter, adopted or not. That was rejected as well. After a while she just stopped saying anything at all, and that lead to her reclusion within the small town. No doubt they'd spun up new tales to incorporate her hollow absence, but she didn't care. He'd be back, and they could decide what to do then.

It was funny; she thought the same things every day, over and over and over and they never got old. She carried on with business, slow as it always was, but still she thought. And in the evenings she sat outside, watching the dusty, empty road be still while she thought about possibilities, and pushed the worry out of her thoughts.

He'll be back. He promised. He _promised_.

Sunset took each day, ignoring her turmoil as she inevitably went back inside. By this time, her belly was so large she had trouble walking, but she ignored the discomfort. _He_ was surely having more difficulty than her, so why should she give in to something so mundane, something so commonplace? After the long hobble up the stairs to her room, she lay down on her side, absently stroking at her belly and smiling faintly at the movements she felt.

When he came back, he'd be surprised—of that she was sure, but he'd be a good father. He'd bumble about, trying to set a good example, but she knew he'd slip up and do something he shouldn't have in front of his child. He'd put his hand behind his neck and smile like he did when he knew he was in trouble—his awkward apology to her—before he'd sit down on his haunches and explain why they must never do what daddy just did.

She could see it like she saw reality. She yearned for it even more.

The next day started like the last many ones, with a sunrise and a calm, empty town. Business continued, loneliness ensued, and daydreams corrupted her. The baby was making a lot of fuss today, trying to get her attention. She soothed as best she could, whispering promises of daddy's embrace soon enough.

When it was time to close the bar, she did so and went outside as her ritual dictated. She was ready to give birth any day now, and but still she stubbornly continued waiting. Today, however, she found herself paying more attention to the person inside of her than the road. She was grimacing with the force she felt and her hands shakily smoothed down her rounded sides, humming softly as she tried to quell the ache.

It must have drowned out the sound of approaching footsteps because suddenly, he was there—standing in front of her, smiling like he'd been there all along. It took a moment, her eyes widening before all thoughts of pain left her head. She'd been right, she'd waited for so long, but he was _back_ and that was all that mattered—!

"Laguna!"

He opened his arms as she stepped into him, her belly not seeming to be a hindrance at all like she'd supposed it would.

"_Raine."_

"I love you…love you…"

"_Raine?"_

"…miss you so much…"

"_Raine…Raine…!"_

That was…Ellone's voice. So he brought her back with him…and now they would all be together after all. Tears glistened in her eyes, representing all of the happiness she couldn't keep within herself.

"_Raine, yoo haftoo wake up!"_

That…didn't make sense. Ellone was smiling, next to…next to…

"Don't leave me again," she gasped, reaching out for her husband.

He reached out for her, his smile so incredibly sincere as his deep blue eyes connected with her shining gray ones.

"_If I ever go anywhere again…it'll be wherever you are."_

She cried then, tears racing down her skin as tragic gasps were taken in when she suddenly couldn't get enough air to breathe.

"_Raine!"_

"…Ellone…" She sounded like she was hurt. Why was she hurt? This was happy…

"_Raine, it's a boy! _It's a boy, Raine, it's a boy!"

She looked in confusion, watching as her vision twisted between Ellone near her face, upstairs in her room with the midwife she'd hired months ago…and the darkness of just outside her bar, with _him_ standing there, smiling, beckoning…

With sudden realization, her gut wrenched and her eyes closed, her head falling to the pillow underneath her.

"Raine?"

The last thing she heard, her awareness swimming in and out of tune…

"…she always…if she had a baby boy…name it Squall."

And the last thing she saw…

Gray-blue eyes, staring into hers with such sincerity…and she knew she was home.

~o+o~


End file.
